Clutch operator



Dec. 16, 1952 c. BRETSCHNEIDER CLUTCH OPERATOR Filed March 7, 1947 A TTOR/VE Y.

Patented Dec. 16, 1952 CLUTCH OPERATOR .Curt Bretschneider,Philadelphia, Pa. Application March 7, 1947, Serial No. 733,010

1 Claim.

The object of this invention is to devise a novel clutch which willprovide for varying speeds between zero and maximum speeds.

A further object of the invention is to devise a novel clutch havingpiston cylinders which are intercommunicating and such communication ismanually controlled by a. novel construction and arrangement of valvemechanism.

With the foregoing and other objects in view as will hereinafter clearlyappear, my invention comprehends a novel construction and arrangement ofa clutch.

It further comprehends a, novel clutch having a housing adapted to berevolved by an engine shaft, having engine cylinders and pistons andhaving novel means for controlling the intercommunication between thecylinders.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in theaccompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of it which will ve inpractice satisfactory and reliable results. It is, however, to beunderstood that the various instrumentalities of which the inventionconsists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention isnot limited to the exact arrangement and organization of theseinstrumentalities as herein set forth.

Figure 1 is an irregular sectional elevation of a clutch embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial section of valve mechanism.

Figure 4 is an end view of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a valve actuator.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the valve.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings:

The clutch has a housing I, recessed at 2 to receive an engine shaft 3,fixed to the housing in any desired or conventional manner. A crankshaft 4 is journalled in roller bearings 5 and 6, carried by thehousing. The crank shaft 4 has fixed to it a gear I which meshes with agear 8 fixed on a driven shaft 9, which latter is journalled in a rollerbearing I and a thrust bearing carried by an end closure |2 secured tothe housing I in any desired manner.

The housing I has piston chambers l3 and [4 in which pistons l and I6are reciprocated by the crank shaft. The chamber l3 has a port I! andthe chamber M has a port I8, such ports opening into the ends of thepiston chambers.

The housing is apertured as at I!) to receive a rotatable valve 20. Theaperture I9 is closed at one end by an end plate 2| which carries athreaded stud 22 which has a pointed end contacting the valve. The studhas a lock nut 23.

The valve 2|] has an internal passage 24 communicating with ports 25 and2B which can be brought into and out of register with the ports H and I8in the housing. The valve 20 has a filling opening 21 to permitintroduction of fluid through a filling opening 28 in the housing, saidopening 28 being normally closed by a threaded plug 23. The passage 24is closed at one end by a plug 33 having a flange 3| provided with anoffset, ball shaped stud 32. This stud cooperates with an actuator 33mounted in a chamber 34 in the housing and the end member l2. Theactuator 33 has a shaft 35 mounted in the chamber 34 and provided with aslot 36 opening through one side and adapted to receive the stud 32. Theactuator is recessed to receive a roller 31 on a rod 38 fixed to theactuator. The actuator is tensioned by springs 39, the inner ends ofwhich are seated in recesses 40 in the housing In order to permit theproper movement of the outer ends of the springs rods 4| have eyesloosely mounted on the rod 38 and the rods 4| extend into the springs39.

A clutch plate 42 is loosely mounted on the shaft 9 and has a clutchcollar 43 to receive the conventional clutch pins of a. clutch lever.The clutch plate has fixed to it pins 44, one of which is guided in acover plate 45 and bears against the roller 31 of the valve actuator 33.Springs 46 are interposed between the end member l2 and the clutch plate42. The valve actuator 33 has its shaft 35 journalled in the cover plate45. The cover plate 45 is fixed to the end member I2 by fastenin devices41.

As illustrated the driving shaft 3 has a flange 48 secured to thehousing by bolts 49.

The end plate 2| provides access to the valve, and a similar plate 50provides access to the roller bearing 5.

The operation will now be apparent to those skilled in this art and isas follows:

The clutch can operate under air, vacuum or any suitable fluid. If oilis to be used it may be introduced through filling openings 28 and 21.

When the valve is in its closed position as seen in Figure 1, thepistons are locked in position and do not move, so that the driven shaft9 revolves at the same speed as the driving or engine shaft 3.

When the clutch plate 42 is moved into an inward position, a pin 44rocks the valve actuator 33 to bring ports 25 and 26 into a position tocommunicate with ports I! and I8 of the piston chambers l3 and I4. Thispermits a predetermined amount of fluid to pass from one piston chamberto another piston chamber and the reciprocation of the pistons. Thedriven shaft 9 will now have the desired speed relationship with thedriving shaft 3.

When the ports are fully opened, the fluid can freely passfrom onepiston chamber to the Other and the shaft 9 will stop.

It will thus be clear that depending upon the amount of opening of theports of the valve any desired speed between engine speed and zero canbe obtained. I

The housing acts as a fly wheel, and the usual starting gear can befixed to the housing.

Having thus described my invention, 'what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

An actuator for a valve rotatablymounted having an offset stud,comprising an elongated member having a slot extending longitudinallythrough it and opening through its periphery, a rotatably mounted shaftfixed to said member, a shaft extending offcenter through said member,springs acting against said shaft to move said 4 member in onedirection, a roller on said oficenter shaft, and a pin contacting saidroller to move the member in the opposite direction.

CURT BRETSCHNEIDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 45,639 Rollins Dec. 27, 1864912,487 Ramsey Feb. 16, 1909 955,390 Denegre Apr. 19, 1910 1,217,700Brown et a1 Feb. 27, 1917 1,243,611 Kemper Oct. 16, 1917 1,343,944Tomoda June 22, 1920 1,637,963 Simpson Aug. 2, 1927 1,907,673 RockwellMay 9, 1933 2,176,083 Leake Oct. 17, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 365,227 France Sept. 5, 1906 v 932 Australia Mar. 2, 1926 363,489Great Britain Dec. 24, 1931 747,218 France June 13, 1933

